Madhya Pradesh signals a strong push in tourism investment at MP Travel Mart 2026, signing MoUs for infrastructure, heritage conservation and film tourism, and pledging time-bound approvals. The state expects significant job creation and enhanced visitor experiences through luxury hospitality, wildlife projects and destination-focused initiatives.
India
-Oneindia Staff
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh is stepping up efforts to attract private investment and accelerate tourism infrastructure development, with Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav highlighting the state’s immense potential in natural beauty, wildlife, heritage and spiritual tourism.
During MP Travel Mart 2026, Dr. Yadav held one-to-one meetings with leading tourism investors, hospitality groups and stakeholders from India and abroad. Several major MoUs were signed covering tourism infrastructure, heritage conservation, skill development and film tourism, while Letters of Award (LoAs) were also presented for tourism projects across the state. The Chief Minister said the state government is committed to providing investors with transparent policies, faster approvals and a single-window system to facilitate investment and create employment opportunities.
Madhya Pradesh signals a strong push in tourism investment at MP Travel Mart 2026, signing MoUs for infrastructure, heritage conservation and film tourism, and pledging time-bound approvals. The state expects significant job creation and enhanced visitor experiences through luxury hospitality, wildlife projects and destination-focused initiatives.
In a major investment initiative, an MoU was signed with A.R.M. Foods Pvt. Ltd. for an investment of ₹848.40 crore in Ramgarh, Sehore district. The project will include a golf course, hotel villas, a wellness resort and luxury hotel facilities. It is expected to generate around 920 direct employment opportunities. A.R.M. Foods was represented by Chairman and Director Atul Agrawal.
CM Assures Investors of Time-Bound Approvals
Dr. Mohan Yadav welcomed investors and entrepreneurs and assured them that the state government would facilitate land allotment, infrastructure development and necessary approvals within a defined timeframe. He said the investment proposals, MoUs and Letters of Award would help take Madhya Pradesh’s tourism sector to new heights while creating extensive employment and self-employment opportunities for local youth.
MoUs Signed for Skill Development, Heritage and Film Tourism
Several other agreements were signed to strengthen tourism planning, capacity building and allied sectors. An MoU with ACAD, Indore, will focus on film production education, tourism and content creation. For heritage conservation, the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, will prepare an integrated management plan for the historic Orchha complex.
An MoU with the Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management (IITTM), Gwalior, will facilitate Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training and certification for tourist vehicle drivers. In the first phase, 100 tourist vehicle drivers from Bhopal will receive training. The institute was represented by Prof. Prashant K. Gauta.
Another MoU was signed with Dronah for preparing an environmental, landscape and conservation plan for the Orchha complex. The initiative was represented by Shikha Jain.
A tripartite MoU among the BSF Academy, MPSTDC and the district administration will focus on developing tourism facilities and digital infrastructure and upgrading the BSF Museum at the BSF Academy in Tekanpur, Gwalior. The initiative was represented by DIG Harinder Singh Tomar and Ritesh Thakur.
Major Proposals in Luxury Hospitality and Resorts
The one-to-one meetings also generated several major investment proposals in the hospitality and luxury resort sectors. Atmosphere Group Managing Director Saubhagya Mahapatra proposed an investment of ₹500 crore to expand luxury hospitality facilities in Ujjain, Indore and major wildlife circuits.
Renny Group Director Pankaj Fulwani discussed investments exceeding ₹290 crore, including: * ₹130 crore for developing the 350-year-old Lunera Sarai in Mandu as a ‘Welcome Hotel by ITC’ * ₹125 crore for a waterfront resort opposite Kutni Dam in Khajuraho * ₹35 crore for a ‘Storii by ITC’ property in Sidhi * A resort project near Bansagar Dam in Maihar
Sarv Group Managing Director Kunal Gyani discussed a ₹100 crore investment in a 40-acre ultra-luxury wildlife resort at Satpura Tiger Reserve’s Madhai area in partnership with Taj Safaris. The group also discussed total investments of around ₹300 crore across Madhya Pradesh.
MRVH Resorts Director Jitendra Singh proposed completing the ₹200 crore Ramada Resort by Wyndham under construction in Omkareshwar by the end of 2026, ahead of Simhastha 2028. The group also proposed an additional ₹150 crore investment in Ratapani, Bandhavgarh, Pachmarhi and Madhai.
Wildlife Tourism Attracts Major Investment Interest
To accelerate wildlife tourism, Ramco Group (JKR Hospitality) Managing Director Sharda Deepa presented plans for sustainable wildlife resorts with investments of ₹120–140 crore across Kanha, Kuno, Pench, Rani Durgavati, Sanjay Dubri, Ratapani, Bandhavgarh and Panna.
Varay Hotels discussed an ₹80 crore hotel project at Brajrajkhedi in Ujjain. Evolve Back Group discussed a resort project worth more than ₹50 crore in Mandu, while Anashvish Tiger Camp discussed luxury projects in Kanha and Satpura in partnership with The Leela.
Visquess Hospitality, JuSTa Hotels, Ambuja Neotia and Ahilya Experiences also expressed interest in investing in hotel and destination hospitality projects across the state.
Film, Culture and Food Tourism in Focus
Film tourism was another key area of discussion. TVF founder Arunabh Kumar discussed developing Madhya Pradesh as a film hub, citing the shooting of popular web series such as Panchayat and Gullak in the state.
Actor Annu Kapoor shared suggestions on promoting Madhya Pradesh’s cultural heritage through cinema, while celebrity chef Ranveer Brar offered ideas for developing destination-based food tourism.
Letters of Award Issued for Tourism Projects
In the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board presented Letters of Award to investors and entrepreneurs for tourism projects across different regions.
The projects include a resort and multipurpose tourism project in Orchha, Niwari, a resort in Gurgunda village, Betul, and another resort project in Bothiya village. LoAs were also issued for a resort in Bassi village, Neemuch, a wellness resort in Kanghatthi village, Mandsaur, and an eco-tourism project in Gandhi Sagar.
In Raisen, an LoA was issued for a resort and other tourism projects in Murli Khedi village, while another was issued for a hotel/resort project in Salaiya Ganj village, Sagar.
Heritage Hotel and Highway Tourism Facilities
LoAs were also issued for resort projects in Lavakhedi village, Sehore, and a resort project in Brajraj Khedi, Ujjain. A Letter of Award was issued to Ratna Jadon for a heritage hotel project at Lakshmipur Palace in Panna.
To improve facilities for tourists and travellers, the state also approved wayside amenities along major highway routes. These include facility centres on the Khajuraho–Panna, Jabalpur–Bhopal and Ujjain–Makshi routes.
MICE, Adventure Tourism and New Destinations
Discussions were also held on positioning Madhya Pradesh as a major destination for national and international MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) events and adventure tourism.
EEMA President Deepak Chaudhary and Wizcraft International Co-founder Sabbas Joseph discussed opportunities for hosting major events in the state. Former Adventure Tour Operators Association of India President Ajit Bajaj emphasised the need to develop environmentally sustainable adventure tourism.
TBO Group Managing Director Ankush Nijhawan proposed skill development for tourism stakeholders through the TBO Academy. TAAI President Sunil Kumar and ADTOI President Ved Khanna discussed strategies for promoting unexplored tourism destinations.
AI to Enhance Tourist Experience
Technology and innovation also featured prominently during the investor meetings. Explorger founder Jitin Bhatia proposed deploying AI-based assistants, or ‘AI Agents’, at tourism destinations to provide visitors with enhanced digital experiences.
With investments spanning hospitality, wildlife tourism, heritage conservation, film tourism, adventure tourism and technology, the initiatives discussed during MP Travel Mart 2026 underline Madhya Pradesh’s push to strengthen its position as a leading domestic and international tourism destination.
